Massage apparatus.



PATENTED SEPT. a, 1903. J. A. READE, JR- & 0. F-..BIRTMAN.

MASSAGE APPARATUS.

APPLIOATION rum) APR. 22, 1903.

3 SHEETB-SHBET 1.

H0 MODEL.

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. PATENTED SEPT. 8. 1903 JR. 6: G. F. BIRTMAN MASSAGE APPARATUS. APPLICATION rum) APR. 22, 1903.

J. A. READE,

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PATENTED SEPTQ8 J. A. READE, JB- & G; P. BIRTMAN;

MASSAGE APPARATUS. APPLICATION nun APB. 22,.1'903.

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4 .lil IIIII II UNITED STATES Patented September 8, 1903.

PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN A. READE, JR., AND CHARLES F. BIRTMAN, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

MASSAGEAPPARATUS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 738,357, dated September 8, 1903. Application filed April 22, 1903. Serial No. 153,744. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that we, JOHN A. READE, Jr., and CHARLES F. BIRTMAN, both citizens of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Massage Apparatus, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in a massage instrument or apparatus; and it consists, essentially, in a handledjcasing or frame and the mechanism for operating the tapper or massage member, which mechanism is carried by and iuclosed in said casing in such a manner as to exclude dust, as well as to prevent the escape of oil therefrom used in lubricating the parts, and in certain other novel details of construction and arrangement of the various members,all of which will be hereinafter more fully set forth, and specifically pointed out in the claims.

One of the objects of the invention is to simplify the construction of the apparatus,

' so that it may be madein a compact, attractive, light, and convenient form for handling, to the end that any portion of the bod ywhich it is desired to massage or treat with the in strument maybe reached and without fatigue to the operator ormasseur.

Another object is to afford an instrument of the above-named character which'by rea son of the peculiar construction and arrangement of its parts will impart to the strikingarm, which carries the tapper or massage member, a great variety in the direction of 1 its strokes, the force or rapidity of which 4 may be regulated at will.

A further object is to provide simple and efficient means for changing the direction of the strokes of the said arm, as well as regulating their length andforce from gentle short taps to longer strokes with much force, or vice versa. I

Other objects and advantages of theinvention will be disclosed in the subjoined description and explanation.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view of the apparatus, showing the manner of holding the same when is use. Fig. 2 is a central sectional view taken on line 2 2 of Fig. 3 looking in the direction indicated by the arrows.

Fig. 3 is a plan view, partly in section. Fig. 4 is a sectional view of the casing, taken on line 4 4 of Fig. 3, looking in the direction indicated by the arrows, but showing the operating mechanism and closing-plugs removed. Fig. 5isaview, partlyin section and partly in elevation, taken on line 5 5 of Fig. 3, looking in the direction indicated by the arrows. Fig. 6 is a plan sectional view of the casing. Fig. 7 is a view in elevation of the striking-arm, showing it detached. Fig. 8 is an inner face view of the eccentric driving-disk. Fig. 9 is a detached perspective view of the disk used for regulating the direction of the stroke-of the striking-arm. Fig. 10 is a similar view of the slide therefor, Fig. 11 is a detached plan view of a washer used in the strikingarm extension or projection of the casing. Fig. 12 is a plan view of the disk used for regulating the length of the stroke of the striking-arm. Fig. 13 is a plan view of the slide which operates onsaid disk. Fig. 14 is an edge view of said disk. Fig. 15 is a like view of the slide therefor. Figs. 16, 17, and 18 are views, partly in section and partly in elevation, taken on line X X of Fig. 2, look ing in the direction indicated by the arrows, showing the mechanism for regulating the direction of the strokes of the striking-arm.

In the drawings corresponding referencenumerals refer to like parts throughout the different views.

The body or main portion of the casing is indicated by the reference-numeral 25 and is cylindrical in form and has each of its ends open and internally screw-threaded to receive the plugs 26 and 27, which are provided with external threads to engage those in the ends of the casing. Extending from the main portion 25 of the casing and substantially at right angles thereto is a hollow extension 28, which communicates with the casing and hereinafter will be designated as the striking-arm extension. The plug 27 is provided with a hollow projection 29, preferably formed with external screw-threads to engage a hollow handle 30, through which a portion of the driving-shaft 31 passes. This shaft is preferably flexible and may be driven. by any suitable means and has its inner end connected to the stub-shaft 32 of the eccentric driving-disk 33, which disk is located in the plug 27 or lower portion of the casing. The stub-shaft 32 of the eccentric disk passes through the hollow projection 29, so as to engage the driving-shaft 31, as is clearly shown in Fig. 2 of the drawings. As shown in Figs. 1, 3, and 6, the casing is formed with a hollow enlargement 34 for the reception and operation of the pinions used for regulating the direction and length of the strokes of the striking-arm. Closely fitted in the strikingarm extension is a sleeve or tube 35, through which the striking-arm 36 passes, which arm is provided at about its middle with a balllike orspherical portion 37,which rests against the inner surface of the sleeve and forms a hearing or fulcrum-point for said arm. The outer end of the arm 36 is preferably formed with a flaring opening 38 to receive the stem 39 of the massage member, which may be spherical in shape, as shown at 40, or cupshaped, as shown in 41, or of any suitable form. The inner end of the arm 36 is usually reduced to fit in the socketed piece 42 on the ring 43, which receives the segmental projections 44 on the slide 45, which operates in a guideway 46 of the adjustable disk 47,which is used to regulate the direction of the strokes of the striking-arm. As shown in Fig. 9, the guideway 46 extends diametrically across the disk 47 and is dovetailed to receive the correspondingly-shaped edges of the slide 45, the projections 44 of which are located a slight distance apart to form a channel 48 for the purpose to be presently explained. It will also be noticed in Fig. 9 that the side edges of the guideway 46 are each provided with a ledge 49, on which the slide 45 may rest, thus reducing the friction thereof. A portion of the periphery of the disk 47 is provided with gear-teeth 50 to engage the regulating-pinion 51, which is mounted on a shaft 52, which is movably journaled in one end of the enlargement 34 of the casing. The outer portion of the shaft 52 has fixed thereon a milled disk 53, used for lifting and turning the shaft and its pinion.

Located between the upper surface of the pinion 51 and the top of the enlargement 34 is a spring 54, which surrounds the shaft 52 and normally holds the said pinion in engagement with a pin 55, located on the uppersurface of an annular flange 56 on the inner surface of the casing. Located in the lower portion of the enlargement 34 is another pinion 57, which is mounted on a shaft 58, having on its outer end a disk 59 to be used for turning the same. Between the pinion 57 and the lower end of the enlargement 34 is a spring 60, which actuates said pinion and causes its teeth to normally engage the pin '55, located on the lower surface of the flange 56 on the inner surface of the casing.

By reference to Fig. 2 of the drawings it will be seen and understood that the projecthe ring 43 tions 44 on the slide 45 will fit in of the striking-arm.

Located in the casing and on the opposite side of the ring 43 from the disk 47 is the length of the stroke-regulating disk 61, which is provided with a diametrical guideway 62 and an elongated opening 63 for the reception and operation of the stub-shaft 64 on the slide 65, which operates in the guideway 62 of the disk 61, the edges of which slide are dovetailed to fit in the correspondinglyshaped sides of the guideway 62, as will be understood by reference to Figs. 14 and 15 of the drawings, in the former of which figures it will be seen that the disk 61 is provided at each of the sides of the guideway with a ledge 66, on which the slide 65 will rest, thus reducing friction in its movements. The stub-shaft 64 of the slide has loosely mounted thereon a roller 67, which roller and shaft extend into the channel 48 between the projections 44 on the slide 45 of the direction of stroke-regulating disk. The slide 65 is provided on its surface opposite from the shaft 64 with two segmental projections 68, which are separated to form a channel 69, in which the eccentric-pin on the eccentric disk 33 will operate, which pin preferably has mounted thereon a collar 71 to reduce friction.

Located around the striking-arm 36, at the outer end of the sleeve 35, are packing-rings 72, of flexible material, which are held in place by a collar 73, located in the outer portion of the extension 28, which packing is used to prevent the escape of oil used for lubricating the parts.

As shown in Figs. 12 and 14, the disk 61 is provided on its periphery with a series of gear-teeth 74 to engage the regulating-pinion 57, located in that portion of the enlargement 34 of the casing adjacent to the handle.

When the parts have been assembled as above set forth and as is clearly shown in the different views of the drawings, it is apparent that by applying power to the flexible or driving shaft 31 the eccentric or driving disk 33 will be rotated, in which operation the slide 65 will be caused to move back and forth in the guideway 62 of the disk 61, thereby causing the slide 45 to move back and forth in the guideway 46 of the disk 47, thus imparting motion to the striking-arm 36, which on account of its spherical bearing 37 will have almost an universal movement. By lifting the shaft 52 and pinion 5l, so as to disengage the teeth of the latter from the'pin 55, it is evident that the disk 47 through its engagement with said pinion may be turned so as to change the position of the guideway 46, thus changing the direction of the stroke of the striking-arm, so as toproduce a variety of movements or motions. For instance, when turned to the position shown in Fig. 16 the arm 36 will have a direct longitudinal movement through the extension 28, when turned to the position shown in Fig. 17 the arm 36 will have an oblique vibrating movement from 1 right to left, while when turned to the position shown in Fig. 18 the said arm will have a lateral vibrating movement. The arm can be caused to move in other directions by suitably shifting the disks 47 and 61; but those above described and shown in Figs. 16 to 18, inclusive, are deemed suflicient to illustrate the adjustability of the apparatus in this respect. I11 order to obtain the full length of the stroke of the striking-arm, the disk 47 should be turned, so that the channel &6 thereof shall be in alinement with the extension 28, as shown in Fig. 16, and the disk 61 should be turned so that its channel or guideway 62 shall be in alinement with said extension or register with the channel 46 of the first-named disk. To obtain the shortest stroke of the striking-arm, the disk 61 should be turned so that its guideway will be at right angles to the extension 28, in which the striking-arm is located. The disk 61 may be turned through the instrumentalityof the shaft 58 and pinion 57 thereon. (See Fig. 5 of the drawings.)

Having thus fully described our invention, What we claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In amassage apparatus, the combination with a casing having a hollow extension and a hollow enlargement communicating with the casing, of a striking-arm loosely secured in said extension and having its inner end projected into the casing, a mechanism in the casing connected to said arm to cause the same to move in a variety of directions, two of the members of said mechanism having teeth on their peripheries, shafts movably mounted in the enlargement of the casing, a pinion on each of said shafts to engage the toothed members, and means to drive said mechanism, substantially as described.

2. Inamassageapparatus, the combination with acasing having a hollow extension and a hollow enlargement communicating with the casi'ng,of astrikingarm provided with a spherical portion loosely secured in said extension and having its inner end projected into the casing, flexible packing located around the arm in the outer portion of said extension, a mechanism in the casing connected to said arm to cause the same to move in a variety of directions and to regulate the length of the movement or strokes thereof, two members of said mechanism having teeth on their peripheries, shafts loosely mounted on the enlargement of the casing, a pinion mounted on each of said shafts to engage the toothed members, a spring located between each of the pinions and a portion of the said enlargement, pins to engage the pinions when in their normal positions and means to drive said mech- "anism, substantially as described.

3. In a massage apparatus, the combination with a casing comprising a bodyportion having a hollow extension communicating therewith, of a striking-arm loosely secured in said extension and having at its inner end a ring and at its outer end means to engage a massage member, a direction-of-stroke-regulating disk located in one end of the casing and provided with teeth on its periphery and a guideway on its inner surface, a slide movablein said guideway and having projections to fit in the ring of the striking-arm, said projections being divided by a channel, a plug adjustably secured in the opposite end of the casing, a driving-disk located on the inner surface of said plug and provided on its inner surface with an eccentrically-located pin and on its outersurface witha shaft 'or stem journaled in said plug, a driving-shaft attached to the shaft of said disk, a slotted length-ofstroke-regulating disk having teeth on its poriphery and located near the inner surface of the first-named disk and having on its outer surface a guideway, a slide located in said gnideway and having a stub-shaft to extend through said slot and into the channelof the slide on the first-named disk and provided on its outer surface with away to receive the eccentric-pin on the driving-disk, shafts movably journaled on the casing, and a pinion on each of said shafts to engage the toothed portions of the regulating-disks, substantially as described.

4. In a massage apparatus, the combination with a casing comprising a body portion having a hollow extension communicating therewith, of a striking-arm loosely secured in said extension and having at its inner end a ring, a direction-of-stroke-regulating disk located in one end of the casing and provided with teeth on its periphery and a guideway on its inner surface, a slide movable in said guide- Way and having projections to fit in the ring of the striking-arm, said projections being divided by a channel, a handle-supporting plug adjustably secured in the opposite end of the casing, a driving-disk located on the inner surface of said plug and provided on its innersurface with an eccentricallylocated pin and on its outer surface with a shaft or stem journaled in said plug, a driving-shaft attached to the shaft of said disk, a slotted length-of-stroke-regulating disk having teeth on its periphery and located near the inner surface of the first-named disk and having on its outer surface a guideway, a slide located in said guideway and having a stub-shaft to extend through said slot and into the channel of the slide on the first-named disk and pro Vided on its outer surface with a way to receive the eccentric-pin on the driving-disk, spring-pressed shafts movably journaled on the casing, a pinion on each of said shafts to engage the toothed portions of the regulating-disks, and pins secured onthe casing'to engage the pinions, when in their normal positions, substantially as described.

JOHN A. READE, JR. CHARLES F. BIRTMAN.

Witnesses:

Units. 0. TILLMAN, A. GUSTAFSON. 

